• If You Are Having Trouble Logging In with Your Old Username and Password, Please use this Forgot Your Password link to get re-established.
  • Hey! Be sure to login or register!

wing root fuel gauges

Skip

Registered User
Savannah Ga
I know it`s been discussed somewhere here before but I can`t find it. Has anyone ever had wing root fuel gauges in PA-12 tanks and if they did how well do they work compared to the old drop down gauges. Thanks Skip
 
I've got them in mine, and they're great. Mine are made of clear hose material, not site glass. I have a swing-up window and door, so the original style gages wouldn't work.
 
Yeah I really didn`t want to go back with the old type gauges I just wondered if they were accurate enough. I think the 18 tank is deeper than a 12 tank and the gauge would have to be on a flatter angle
 
Skip said:
Yeah I really didn`t want to go back with the old type gauges I just wondered if they were accurate enough. I think the 18 tank is deeper than a 12 tank and the gauge would have to be on a flatter angle

call Atlee's they make a shorter clear hose one for 12's, like they use on their big tanks.
 
I have Atlees clear tubes on my 18 and I'm going back to the sight glass the tubes have a service bulletin on them for cracking and if you run auto gas they yellow but the cracking bothers me the most.
 
DW,
Thanks for the heads up on the cracking tubes. Mine have been in service for 13 years, and still look good. But maybe it's time to replace them! I'll get in touch with FAD today.

Eric
 
DW said:
I have Atlees clear tubes on my 18 and I'm going back to the sight glass the tubes have a service bulletin on them for cracking and if you run auto gas they yellow but the cracking bothers me the most.

I remember FAD changing the tube to a different material that eliminates the problem. But then, sometimes I forget things that happened and remember things that didn't. I do recall in the letter I got from FAD that they had a solution for those yellowing tubes. I think. :)

Stewart
 
Stewart
I put a new set in about three month ago and they yellowed in the first half dozen tanks. I still have good visual on the fuel level but like I said when I read that bulletin on cracking that got my attention I don't want fuel raining on me.

Dennis
 
MANDATORY SERVICE BULLETIN
Document No: 3286SB Date: September 11, 2006
Subject: Mandatory visual inspection of F. Atlee Dodge Wing Tank Fuel Sight Gauges. Part No. 3286 installed I.A.W. STC SA02115AK. (ref.dwg.no.3286)

Models Affected: Piper Models PA-12, PA-12S, PA-14, PA-18, “150”, PA-18S “150”, PA-18AS “150”, PA-22-160 with F. Atlee Dodge 30.5 Gallon Wing Fuel Tanks Installed. Or any other aircraft using F. Atlee Dodge Sight Gauges.

Statement of Difficulty: Reports have been received that the plastic tube sight gauges have been discoloring and or cracking. The discoloring and or cracking appear to be the result of using automotive fuel or auto fuel / AVGAS mixture. The original gauge plastic tubing is not compatible with Automotive Fuel. Continued use of discolored or cracked sight gauge creates an unsafe condition that could result in the inability to determine fuel quantity in the tank or possible fuel leakage and fires inside the cockpit.

Compliance: Within the next 10 flight hours after receipt of this Bulletin visually inspect the entire Sight Gauge including the connection area behind the cockpit trim panels. Any indication of discoloration or cracking constitutes an un-airworthy Sight Gauge. Replace any un-airworthy Sight Gauge with an improved Sight Gauge compatible with Automotive Fuel prior to further flight. Original Sight Gauges found to be airworthy at the initial inspection shall be inspected every 100 hours or annually, which ever comes first, until replacement with an improved Sight Gage.

Information and Parts Availability: Copies of Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 3268SB are available from F. Atlee Dodge Aircraft Services, LLC. Or electronically at www.fadodge.com. Contact F. Atlee Dodge Aircraft Services, LLC. for availability and pricing of improved Sight Gages.
 
Does anybody have a 337 field approval for adding sight guage provisions to the factory PA-12 tanks?
 
Does anyone have an idea where to weld the bungs on a pa-12 tank. I got an new PMA set from aero fab/wagaero and I want PA-18 style gauges.
 
I know it`s been discussed somewhere here before but I can`t find it. Has anyone ever had wing root fuel gauges in PA-12 tanks and if they did how well do they work compared to the old drop down gauges. Thanks Skip

I have had three sets.

There is no doubt that the plastic wing root site gauges are the way to go. My observations are that in some installs the gauge will show fuel when in fact there is none. When I installed mine I was careful to make sure the bottom of the tube was not lower than the bottom of the tank to avoid this issue. It is best for your gauge to error on the full side than error on the empty side.

Yes they will discolor, no big deal as long as you can still see the level.

Bill
 
We are considering the Wag-Aero tanks for our 12. Are they a drop in replacement? Can Wag weld in the bungs for FAD gauges?
 
We are considering the Wag-Aero tanks for our 12. Are they a drop in replacement? Can Wag weld in the bungs for FAD gauges?
I don't think so. I think you're going to want to set the tanks in place first to get the gauges properly located. I have Wag tanks with sight gauges (glass), and my only gripe is they don't read far enough down and when the balls get to the bottom I still have about 5 gal. per side remaining. Not a bad problem to have I realize, but I'd prefer they went all the way down.
 
The Atlee Dodge sight gauges that come with the 30 gal tanks are just clear, very thick, formed Tygon tubing. They don't read all the way to empty on the ground, but they do in level flight. When the gas just barely disappears from the bottom of the tube in level flight, the ANR headset is no longer required.

Perhaps a similar formed Tygon tube would be available for stock tanks??
 
I have Wag tanks with sight gauges (glass), and my only gripe is they don't read far enough down and when the balls get to the bottom I still have about 5 gal. per side remaining. Not a bad problem to have I realize, but I'd prefer they went all the way down.
23.1337(b)(1) Each fuel quantity indicator must be calibrated to read
"zero" during level flight when the quantity of fuel remaining in the
tank is equal to the unusable fuel supply....
 
Back
Top